Victory, Oh victory to the Sun God, Who is the lamp to the seven worlds, Who by His rays destroys sin, Who destroys aches and sorrows, Who is lead to by the path of Vedas, Who is the Sun God to the universe, And Who is saluted by all the worlds, And also my salutations to Him who makes the day.

The force of kundalini flows as a river through men and women. Sexual intercourse gives that river an outlet, creates a channel, a psychic astral tube between their muladhara chakras. After the first intercourse, awareness is turned outward into the external world and the man or woman is more vulnerable to the forces of desire. The ramification of the intellect can now be experienced more than ever before. If the force is contained within the marriage convenant with blessings from the Devaloka and Sivaloka, rays similar to the astral tube established between the couple are established between each of them through the higher chakras with the Mahadevas and devas. A holy state of matrimony has been entered into. The Hindu Catechism states,

When a young virgin man and woman marry and share physical intimacy with each other, their union is very strong and their marriage stable. This is due to the subtle, psychic forces of the human nerve system. Their psychic forces, or nadis, grow together and they form a one body and a one mind. This is the truest marriage and the strongest, seldom ending in separation or divorce. Conversely, if the man or woman have had intercourse before the marriage, the emotional/psychic closeness of the marriage will suffer, and this in proportion to the extent of promiscuity. Through marriage a man and a woman each fulfill their dharma. A man and a woman are physically, emotionally and spiritually complete in marriage. He needs her tenderness, companionship and encouragement, while she needs his strength, love and understanding.

HIGHER RAYS AND LOWER ASTRAL TUBES

Higher rays and the lower astral-psychic tubes that are created between husband and wife can contain the forces of desire within them. They also control the instinctive curiosities of the intellect, allowing its full power to manifest and create a productive and abundant life for the family which has continuity and consistency. A life of dharma can be lived.

REVIEW

1. Sexual intercourse creates a psychic, energy channel.

2. These energies are contained and guided within a sanctified marriage.

The connection formed between a man and a woman during intercourse makes a psychic, astral, umbilical cord-like tube in the lower astral plane world which lasts for twelve years or more. Providing no other connection with the same or other individual occurred in the meantime, the tube would slowly wear away during the ensuing years.

This is provided that, at the same time, sadhana or tapas is performed and regular pilgrimages and visits to Saivite temples are made.

Brahmachariya sadhana begins once a vrata is taken by the virgin boy or girl. For others, brahmachariya sadhana begins after the last sexual encounter with a member of the opposite sex has occurred and when a conscious decision is made to begin the practice of brahmachariya.

All the energy of the body becomes directed in the channel of sex when the consciousness is coupled or coordinated with the will to release or dissipate this energy. The mental processes then become slow and sluggish, as does the body, if carried to excess. A remedy to this is the reverse. The mind will then become awakened, and the body will begin to glow.

RAJA YOGA

ASTRAL MAGNETISM AND TEMPTATION

While in the process of brahmachariya, those who have had sexual encounters with one or more members of the opposite sex experience times of trial. Great temptation may occur on the physical plane as the astral matter of the animal nerve system and systems of fluids and odors that attract the opposite sex store up in great abundance.

This causes a magnetism which attracts those of the opposite sex. Especially attracted will be those of a similar nature and deportment as those of past encounters.

REVIEW

1. Intercourse between a man and woman creates a psychic connecting tube in the astral world which lasts for twelve years.

2. The requisites for formal brahmachariya practice are the start of celibacy, knowledge of brahmachariya, and the performance of sadhana.

3. Those beginning brahmachariya may experience strong temptation because of magnetism and past habit patterns.

It is said that when man first killed a kinsman that great strength came into the nerve system of the animal body of all upon this planet. Normal, seasonal cycles of mating turned into promiscuity. The population increased and is increasing even now with this intensification of kundalini fire through the sexual nature of men and women.

Through the ancient traditions of Saivite monasticism, the inner laws of brahmachariya have been preserved down through the centuries to help guide humanity through the Kali Yuga.

This knowledge records the methods of how to preserve the vital energy within the body of men and women so that Saivism, the remembrance of Siva and His crystal clear shakti, can be passed through the darkness of the Kali Yuga in unbroken continuity. For only through the power of the tapas of brahmachariya can His shakti be passed on from one to another until the individual's shakti finally accrues enough intensity so that the brahmachari becomes as Lord Siva Himself.

Brahmachariya is holding the power of the divine within the core of the individual spine so that, as Lord Siva sends His power through the five great winds of the astral body within the physical body, the winds adjust among themselves and emanate a shakti strong enough to adjust the five great psychic fluids within everyone around. This power of brahmachariya is disseminated through sublimation then transmutation of the sexual force.

Transmutation occurs automatically through regular daily sadhana, the rigors of positive living and adherence to the ceremonial customs of our religion. It is when fear pervades a country or the planet that the impulses of the animal nerve system cause desires for mating to occur for the prolongation of the species. During intercourse, the astral bodies of the man and woman merge together and conception may occur, as a person in the Devaloka gains a body from the woman to enter this world.

REVIEW

1. The intensification of kundalini fire through the animal nature gives rise to fear and intensity in the sexual instincts of the population.

2. Brahmachariya is holding the power of the divine within the spine.

3. This same force, through conception, brings a soul into physical birth.

Saivites have always recommended arranged marriages over any other kind. Arranged marriages are not old-fashioned, they are wise ways of mating people for long-term happiness and healthy, happy, intelligent children. In every country today, arranged marriages are found to be the best in the long term and free from many problems when arranged properly. Anyone who is going to follow the householder path should know that this is the proper way to proceed.

ASSURING COMPATIBILITY

Hindu Vedic astrology plays the most important part in arranging a marriage. The horoscopes of both the boy and girl have to be compatible. Both families also are involved. For a proper marriage, with the necessary support group to see it through the hard times, the blessings of both families are essential. A marriage is often looked at as a marriage of two families. The potential bride and groom must realize this and know that if they go against their parents' wishes, or if the two families do not accept each other and blend as one, the couple will be on their own to swim together or sink together. If one match is not agreeable, another should be sought. Another important factor is that both must be of the same religious sect for long life and a happy marriage. This may not seem important if both are not religiously active, but this may change in future years and can lead to separation and divorce.

The first and the last important factor in a good marriage is that both the boy and girl must be comfortable with each other. Love marriages that are not arranged by the parents are fully acceptable if the astrology is excellent and the parents on both sides agree and both the girl and the boy are of the same religious denomination. This seems a lot to ask or even hope for in this modern, fast-moving world, but it is the ideal. Most families begin early in finding the proper mate for their children from among the children of other families that they know. They consult astrologers regularly until a match is found. Sometimes the boy and girl are allowed to get to know each other long before they are aware that a marriage is being arranged for them. Of course, if they do not get along well, the matter is dropped and the search is on again.

It is essential that each devotee make a firm decision as to which of the two paths he or she will follow in life. As you know, the two paths are that of the grihastha and that of the monastic. Both are secure dharmas, or patterns of life, within our Saivite tradition. When firmly grounded within one or the other, the individual is guided along through traditional training, pressures and responsibilities.

CHALLENGE IS THE GRIST OF THE MILL

Occasionally a devotee will try to remain between the two paths, unwilling or afraid to submit to the responsibilities and challenges that will have to be faced. Those who understand the laws of dharma, however, know that these inherent challenges are the grist of the mill of life which helps each devotee to grow and evolve spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.

By avoiding the choice of dharmas, one only delays his progress and makes it difficult for the community of devotees to respond to him in the proper way. In addition, he denies himself many of the joys of a traditional life within the secure confines of one of the two paths. This is not to say that the devotee should rush headlong into a decision. But generally a direction should be set in early years so that the proper training can be obtained. As our Catechism states:

Most will choose married life, and they should be schooled-- the boys in technical skills and education and the girls in household arts and culture. If a young boy expresses a desire to become a monastic, the parents should not discourage that inclination. It is a great blessing for the family to have a son become a Saivite monastic.

If you are interested in monastic life, write to me, and together we will determine if it is your proper dharma to enter a Saivite monastery to serve Lord Siva and continue your spiritual unfoldment, having settled the patterns of your karma with your family and friends. Monastic life is an essential part of Hinduism, today as it always has been and always will be.

REVIEW

1. To make spiritual progress, following one of the two paths is essential.

2. Each dharma, monastic and householder, guides the individual along through traditional training, pressures and responsibilities.

Regular introspection and religious study can be thought of as "mental maintenance." It is the setting aside of a period of time each day for making small adjustments, as well as for working through major difficulties--a time in which we face our present mental condition and apply our knowledge to keep the mechanism running smoothly. Regular mental maintenance assures good mental health. Mental health is a positive frame of mind in which all problems are regarded as challenges and are faced and handled on a day-to-day basis with the help of God, Gods and guru.

The body is a temple, the controlled mind the acolyte. Love is the puja. Know that! Through this device you'll find that naught is lacking. That is what the Vedas all declare.SIVA YOGASWAMI

INNER KNOWING

You will find that knowledge awakened from within you is quite different from surface intellectual knowledge. It is more useful, for it is your own. You have earned it through controlling your mind and developing a sensitive nature. Knowledge awakened from within you is experiential knowledge. One such inner knowing is to realize from within yourself that Brahmachariya is the conduct by which one may attain prolonged experiences of Satchidananda, the all-pervasive presence of God Siva.

HELP FROM THE DEVAS

During your vigil each day, you are keeping an inner appointment with the devas. You are not alone. Often the devas hover around you and give you psychic protection through chanting "OM NAMASIVAYA" and sending colorful rays of blessing. Their service to you is to help you grow and advance spiritually, and in turn they, too, grow and advance themselves. They will lend more help and assistance if they are asked, in the same way that you are more inclined to lend your assistance to a friend in this physical world if he asks for your help. If he does not, you would assume that he is managing quite well on his own. Your prayerful thoughts are the permission the devas require to help you in more specific ways. The further along one is in brahmachariya, the easier it is for the devas to read his thought messages.

Seated in the lotus position, the brahmachari and brahmacharini who have taken their vrata may perform pranayama in the following way while sitting with spine erect, head gently balanced on top of the spine, both eyes crossed, looking at the nose, then rolled back into the head, gently stimulating the nerve currents of the inner eye.

To perform this pranayama, place the thumb of your right hand on your right nostril and your middle finger upon your left nostril. Without closing either nostril, simply breathe evenly for a few moments until your breathing is completely relaxed. Then close the left nostril, by gently pressing on the side of your nose with your middle finger, and breathe in through the right nostril. Slowly mentally repeat "AUM, AUM, AUM, AUM, AUM." Then press the thumb on the right nostril and breathe out through the left nostril to the count of five heartbeats, mentally repeating "AUM, AUM, AUM, AUM, AUM." Then breathe in through the left nostril, again to five heartbeats, while repeating AUM. Then close the left nostril and expel the breath through the right nostril. Inhale next through the same nostril, and so on, chanting AUM to five heartbeats each time you inhale or exhale. Perform pranayama in this way for ten to fifteen minutes and feel the pranic power begin to rise within you. The devotee seated thusly in meditation becomes strong and unshakable.

Later, after you have adjusted the physical body to breathing in this way and it is no longer an effort or strain, you may perform the next phase of this pranayama. This is the holding of the breath for five counts, mentally repeating Aum five times before you exhale. While you retain the breath these five counts, hold the two nostrils closed with your thumb and middle finger gently pressing upon them both. A lovely rhythm will be attained as awareness becomes centered in the inner mind.

Consciously relax your physical body. Breathe deeply and diaphragmatically. Let go of tensions in your solar plexus. Breathe as a baby breathes, not by moving the chest up and down, but by allowing the diaphragm to lower and expand naturally, moving the abdomen out and in. Think of the action of a bellows, which when expanded creates a vacuum and allows air to enter.

2. Work on your preparation for sleep. Resolve on three separate occasions before sleep that you will be true to your highest ideals even during sleep. Each morning upon awakening, observe the results.

3. Chant the mantram AUM for a 15 minute period and observe the change this brings about in your consciousness.

4. Practice speaking more kindly to others than you usually do. For two days, surpass your normal standards for relating with others and observe the reaction in your mind and the minds of your family, friends and acquaintances.

Children have an abundance of energy, and sometimes it can make them rather wild. How should this be controlled by the parents? When children run around excitedly, refer to their energy as Siva's prana within them. Congratulate them each time they exercise control over it, but don't punish them when they don't. Instead, explain that it is important that they learn to control and use their energies in positive ways. Have them sit with you and breathe deeply. Teach them to feel energy. Go into the shrine room and sit quietly with them until their pranas become quiet, and then help them observe the difference. To hit them or to yell at them when they are rowdy is only sending more prana into them from you. Another technique is to withdraw your prana from them and pretend to be hurt by their actions. Put on a sour face. Gradually, by teaching about energy in this way you pave the way for a positive outlook on sex that will remain with them throughout their life. They will see the sexual energies, when they begin to awaken, as increased creative life force. And they will have the tools to transmute this force into the higher chakras.

CHAKRAS ARE LIKE LOVELY FLOWERS

When explaining the chakras to your children, refer to these force centers as lovely flowers within them that need to be fed by their vital energies. Teach them to breathe deeply and lift the energy from the lower chakras to the higher ones and hold it there, as if to feed and water these flowers. Teach them that chakras are also rooms of consciousness, and energy we put into the chakras awakens this consciousness and makes us very alert and intelligent.

In other words, as soon as your children can understand you, you can begin teaching them about their energies. In this way you give them the tools to handle their sexual nature so that their forces do not run away with their mind during puberty. In this way, you will open channels to talk freely with them about sex when the time comes. Many parents give absolutely no guidance in this area to their children, who then have to learn from other children about this natural function of their life. So, be a wise parent and begin early. Remember, there are only two areas to cover: prana and chakras. Your own intuition will guide you as to how to proceed.

REVIEW

1. Do not punish rowdy children, but guide them gently and teach about energy.

2. Teach children that the chakras are like flowers within them which they feed and water by lifting their pranas.

Every Hindu mother and father must explain to their boys and girls the basic principles we are describing here. It is the parents' duty to provide a sound education in the use and misuse of the life forces and teach their children how to control the forces within them as they grow into adulthood. Only in this way will they have the knowledge required to face the challenges of their own instinctive/intellectual nature. If you have chosen family life, here are some helpful suggestions to put into practice when you have children.

PRANA AND THE CHAKRAS

There are a two main areas that parents can feel free to speak with their boys and girls about as they are growing up from a very young age. These are prana and the chakras. Once your children have a clear idea of what prana actually is and what the chakras actually are, they will be confident in lifting up the pranas into the higher chakras when puberty is upon them.

Explain it in this way: "You are a person with a great deal of energy, and this energy is called prana. This prana will increase within your physical body until you are about forty years of age. After that the prana increases in power within the mental body until you are about the age of seventy. Then the prana continues to increase within the spiritual body of the soul." Carefully explain time and time again to your children that it is up to them to control their prana, their life force, which is the total energy of their body. Until forty years of age this is done through education, exercise and hard work. After forty until seventy, this is done through study, caring for those younger than themselves, community service and additional education. After seventy this is done through worship, sadhana, tapas and deep meditation.

The Lord who not a whit is separated from you, those of impure mind can never see. The mind is a temple; the soul is its lamp. Meditate, meditate! The truth will dawn for you.

SIVA YOGASWAMI

REVIEW

1. Teach children about prana and the chakras to equip them to control their sexuality when it awakens.

2. Through life's stages, prana increases and feeds first the physical body, then the mental body and then the body of the soul.

How should you regard members of the opposite sex? Do not look at members of the opposite sex with any idea of sex or lust in mind. Do not indulge in admiring those of the opposite sex, or seeing one as more beautiful than another. Boys must foster the inner attitude that all young women are their sisters and all older women are their mother. Girls must foster the inner attitude that all young men are their brothers and all older men are their father. Do not attend movies that depict the base instincts of humans, nor read books or magazines of this nature. To be successful in brahmachariya, one naturally wants to avoid arousing the sex instincts.

Purity is but freedom from desire and that is achieved by desiring to know Truth."

HOLY KURAL, VERSE 364

GOOD COMPANY, EXERCISE AND WORSHIP

Be very careful to mix with good company--those who think and speak properly--so that the mind or emotions are not led astray and vital energies needed for study used up. Get plenty of physical exercise. This is very important because exercise sublimates your own instinctive drives and directs excess energy and the flow of blood into all parts of the body.

Morning, noon and evening we will chant with joyful hearts the blessed name of Siva. We will sever in our minds the root of all desire and lust and, sweetly as we please, we will abide where night is not nor day. If you always offer worship to the Almighty's holy feet, then you will have peace. That will make you rule the mind, which treads the senses' path.

SIVA YOGASWAMI

In the Tirumantiram, the 10th book of the Tirumurai, Saint Tirumular speaks of the values of brahmachariya. He insists that it is very important that the brahmachari and brahmacharini strive to keep awareness in the refined areas of the mind so that beneficial, constructive thoughts can be created. Then the energies are properly employed so that spiritual unfoldment can be experienced in this and future lives.

Purity is the natural state of the soul. It is clarity and clearness in all dimensions of being. One who is successful in the sustained practice of brahmachariya and the performance of sadhana radiates this purity as the sun radiates warmth and light.

Brahmachariya may be thought of as wisdom in handling the forces of the mind and body, most especially the sexual impulses. In this sadhana, the innate purity of the soul shines forth. Striving for this purity is the practice of brahmachariya. As a brahmachari or brahmacharini you must attune yourself to the inner worlds, the Second and Third Worlds. You must strive to live the contemplative life. You must associate with other Hindu devotees, seeking the company of good and holy men and women. You must be pure in your thoughts, never allowing your mind to indulge in sexual fantasies. You must speak pure words that reflect the purity of your thought. Never use harsh, angered or indecent language.

Do not harbor any harmful thoughts. Discard anger and jealousy. Be modest, disciplined and happy, and you will reach the top. Know thy Self by thy self.

SIVA YOGASWAMI

The too great loss of [the reproductive fluids] soon produces the effects, . . . such as weakness, dejection of mind, debility, and pusillanimity, together with all that mental timidity which exaggerates the least dangers and succumbs under the most trivial apprehensions.

JOHN DAVENPORT, CURIOSITIES OF EROTIC PHYSIOLOGY

IMPORTANCE IN CULTURE

The observance of brahmachariya is perhaps the most essential aspect of a sound, spiritual culture. This is why in Saivism, boys and girls are taught the importance of remaining celibate until they are married. This creates healthy individuals, physically, emotionally and spiritually, generation after generation.

Those who have resolved to follow the path of brahmachariya but are troubled by sexual fantasies and nightly encounters during their dream state should not despair. These are simply indications that their creative energies are not being used to capacity. They should work harder, mentally and physically, get up early in the morning and do sadhana, go to bed early and seek the more refined areas of consciousness during the dream states.

How can you seek these more refined areas during sleep? This is done through chanting and meditating before going to sleep, and through praying for guidance from Lord Ganesha.

To aid in the depolarization and transmutation of creative forces, certain mantrams are chanted. These logically concentrate the conscious mind and harmonize its subconscious. Mantrams draw the creative forces from the instinctive to the intellectual and superconscious regions. The mantram AUM aids the most in the depolarization and transmutation process. This mantram harmonizes the physical, mental and spiritual forces.

RAJA YOGA

HOW TO CHANT AUM

To chant the mantram AUM, intone A (pronounced ah) and center the sound in the solar plexus region of the body. Next intone U (pronounced oo) and center this sound through the throat area. Then intone M (pronounced mmm) and send this vibration through the cranium by placing the front teeth tightly together. In chanting the mantram A-U-M, first intone each sound separately, then blend the sounds together forming AUM, a steady hum or drone. The mantram AUM is the essence of sound itself. All sounds blended together intone AUM.

As you intone AUM, you are releasing your creative energy. This energy pours through your mental, emotional, and physical bodies, opening a new world for you.

REVIEW

1. Sexual dreams and fantasies indicate energies are not being utilized.

The Saivite religion, when properly practiced, brings the devotee close to the Holy Feet of supreme God Siva. The practice is outlined in the yamas and niyamas and the pancha nitya karmas. They should be followed ever more strictly by the brahmachari and brahmacharini. They are the foundation for spiritual life. To live an unvirtuous life while performing sadhana would be to waste time, as adharma brings the mind into crude states of consciousness.

An ascetic did penance for many years and gained great merit and spiritual power. An enemy plotted to destroy his power. The technique was simple. He made the ascetic frightfully angry. In that one fit of rage, the painstaking penance and hard work was dissipated.

There are many Saivites who have taken the brahmachariya vrata and eagerly look forward to learning "advanced" yoga techniques. They have mastered the difficult sadhana of the art of controlling and channeling the sexual energies of the body, emotions and the mind. The ascetic in our story had not accomplished this sadhana. He had not conquered anger, and it cost him the benefits of his austerities. As Chellachi Amman, a saintly lady who was a respected elder to my Sat Guru, Siva Yogaswami, once said, "The spiritual path is like a bridge of hair over a river of fire."

THREE GREAT PILLARS

The Saivite religion has three great pillars upon which it stands. These are the temples, the scriptures and the Sat Gurus. These three powerful increments form a perfectly balanced and natural vehicle for Truth to shine through on this planet. Like anything else, however, the Saivite Hindu religion must be used effectively by the individual who wishes to enjoy its lasting effects. Studying about it is not enough. Saivism is to be lived. Each member must put what has been learned into practice to the best of his ability. Use the temples for prayer and as places of worship. Read and heed the scriptures and apply their teachings to daily life. They are not mere theory. They are divine law. Obey your guru and reap the benefits.

In addition to the yamas and niyamas, our religion provides us with a second group of guidelines to help us become better people. These are the pancha nitya karmas, "five constant duties." We could say that they are an amalgam of all the counsel of the Vedas and Agamas to guide daily and yearly religious life. These five obligatory religious practices are simple and applicable for all. Study them and put them into practice in your own life.

1. VIRTUOUS LIVING (Dharma)

Proper conduct follows the laws of dharma and includes observing the teachings of the Holy Kural, remaining celibate until marriage, obeying sthree dharma for women and purusha dharma for men. It is goodness in thought, word and deed.

2. WORSHIP (Upasana)

Personal worship in the home shrine includes performance of puja, sadhana, japa and religious study. Regular devotions in the home and temple bring forth love of God and prepare the mind for the practices of meditation.

3. HOLY DAYS (Utsava)

The observance of Saivite festivals in the home and temple, including guru puja days, brings deep communion with God during highly spiritual times of the year. This includes fasting and attending the temple on Fridays, the Hindu holy day.

4. PILGRIMAGE (Tirthayatrai)

At least once each year every Saivite must make a pilgrimage to a holy place, whether near or far. This is a time when all worldly matters are set aside and God becomes the central and singular focus of life.

5. SACRAMENTS (Samskaras)

Sacraments are special ceremonies which mark our passages in life and sanctify these experiences. They include the rites of birth, first feeding, learning, marriage, death, monastic vows for monks and more.

6. Look at yourself in the mirror and ponder the fact that you have had many bodies in your many incarnations on earth. Realize that you are not your body, your mind or your emotions, but the immortal soul.

7. The next time you feel yourself getting depressed, call on your inner forces to lift yourself into an unburdened state of mind.

Our religion teaches us how to become better people, how to live as spiritual beings on this earth. This happens through living virtuously, following the natural and essential guidelines of dharma. These guidelines are recorded in the yamas and niyamas, ancient scriptural injunctions for all aspects of human thought, attitude and behavior. Through following the yamas and niyamas we cultivate our refined, spiritual nature while keeping the instinctive nature in check. We lift ourself into the consciousness of the higher chakras of love, compassion, intelligence and bliss and naturally invoke the powers and blessings of the divine devas and Mahadevas.

The yamas and niyamas are the most pervasive of Hindu ethical obligations and are thousands of years old. They are recorded in numerous Saivite scriptures, including Saint Tirumular's Tirumantiram, Sage Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Sri Gorakhnath's Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Yogadarshana, the Sandilya Upanishad of the Atharva Veda and the Varuha Upanishad of the Krishna Yajur Veda. All the texts mentioned cite ten yamas and ten niyamas with the exception of Sage Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Patanjali listed only five yamas and five niyamas, which are the ones often solely listed in modern books on yoga. The fullness of all twenty disciplines is a complete outline for Saivite religious life and the foundation for the practice of yoga.

Purity, compassion, frugal food and patience, forthrightness, truth and steadfastness--these he ardently cherishes. Killing, stealing and lusting he abhors. Thus stands with virtues ten the one who niyama's ways observes....Tapas, japa, serenity and faith in God, charity, vows in Saiva Way, Siddhanta learning, sacrifice, Siva puja and spiritual intelligence--with these ten, the one in niyama perfects his way.

TIRUMANTIRAM, VERSE 556-557

Yama means "to rein" or control. The yamas include such injunctions as non-injury (ahimsa), non-stealing (asteya) and moderation in eating (mitahara), which harness the base, instinctive nature. Niyama, literally "to unleash," indicates the release or expression of refined soul qualities through such disciplines as charity (dana), contentment (santosha) and incantation (japa). In tomorrow's lesson are listed the Sanskrit yamas and niyamas from the Upanishads, with translations & explanations.

REVIEW

1. The yamas and niyamas are the Hindu ethical "restraints and observances."

2. They harness the base, instinctive nature and cultivate the soul nature.

- YAMAS: RESTRAINTS

1. Ahimsa: NoninjuryDo not harm others by thought, word or deed.

2. Satya: TruthfulnessRefrain from lying and betraying promises.

3. Asteya: NonstealingNeither steal nor covet nor enter into debt.

4. Brahmachariya: Sexual PurityControl lust by remaining celibate when single and faithful in marriage.

5. Kshama: PatienceRestrain intolerance with people and impatience with circumstances.

Our creed tells us in belief nine: "I believe in the Law of Karma--that one must personally reap the effects of all actions he has caused--and that each soul will continue to reincarnate until all karmas are resolved and Moksha, Liberation, is attained." There is no getting away from our own karma. Eventually all past actions must be faced. The practice of bramachariya in thought, word and deed helps us attain the emotional stability to accomplish this.

LESSONS FROM LIFE TO LIFE

Each experience in life offers a challenge. The Siva bhaktar, through Lord Siva's constant grace, is never given a challenge that he is not able to meet and conquer. Always try to remember this. There is another thing that you should try to remember and that is that life, consciousness, goes on and on. We pass through "death" from this incarnation into the inner world, where we also are when we sleep at night. Then we take on a new physical body. This process repeats time and time again until all the lessons that life on the physical plane has to offer have been learned and Moksha has been attained. Moksha is freedom from rebirth in the physical body. One goes on living after that in the astral body and/or the body of the soul on the inner planes.

It is for this reason that we need a vibrant, experiential religion such as Saivism to help us get through all of the karmas, which are our own creation, and to artfully avoid creating more karmas and the many discomforts that come as a result. It is through applying the wisdom our religion offers that this can happen. The tenets of our religion hold true not only in this physical world but in the inner worlds of the Devaloka and Sivaloka, as well.

Each Saivite knows that it is up to him or her to understand and practice the religion properly. No one can do this for someone else. We know this. The practice of brahmachariya, along with a continuing study and deepening understanding of Saivism, will guide the brahmachari and brahmacharini around the boulders and away from the pitfalls of emotions. It will guide them safely along the edges of ravines and through the storms of their own karma as it manifests through others.

My Sat Guru, Siva Yogaswami, spoke of Saivism as the "Sadhana Marga," "the path of striving," explaining that it is a religion not only to be studied but also to be lived. He taught that much knowledge comes through learning to interpret and understand the experiences of life. Brahmachariya helps us open up the inner faculties so that divine knowledge flows easily and we are blessed with valuable insights.

See God everywhere. This is practice.First do it intellectually.Then you will know it.

SIVA YOGASWAMI

To avoid the Sadhana Marga is to avoid understanding the challenges of life. We must not fail to realize that each challenge is brought to us by our own actions of the past. Yes, our actions in the past are our life's experiences today. All Hindus accept karma and reincarnation intellectually, but the concepts are not active in their lives until they accept the responsibilities of their own actions and the experiences that follow. In doing so, no blame can fall upon another. It is all our own doing. This is the Sadhana Marga--the path to perfection.

Read quickly through each of the twelve beliefs each day during the time you are studying this course. By doing so you will begin to open the great book of knowledge within yourself. This inner book is unlike any you have ever read. It is sacred and it is within you in the akasha of your superconscious mind. Each day, pray to Lord Muruga to unfold the mysteries of your deep, inner intelligence. Lord Muruga is the God that helps the brahmachari on his way to perfection. He will protect you from temptation and inspire you onward and upward.

CONCENTRATE YOUR STUDY

Let this wonderful teaching about brahmachariya enter your mind in its fullness day by day as you perform the sadhana of these daily lessons.

As you study these twelve beliefs do not mistake them for mere theory or one person's idea. They are the revelations of countless realized souls. They are the beliefs of your own soul. As you begin to understand and practice brahmachariya, new light will be shed upon these beliefs, because brahmachariya helps to open the inner mind. And the inner mind is the home of pure intelligence.

7.I believe in the Mahadeva Lord Muruga, Son of Siva/Sakti,whose Vel of Grace dissolves the bondages of ignorance.

8.I believe that religion is the harmonious working together of the three worlds and that this harmony can be created through temple worship, wherein the three worlds become open to one another, and the beingswithin them are able to communicate.

9.I believe in the Law of Karma--that one must personally reap theeffects of all actions he has caused--and that each soul will continue to reincarnate until all karmas are resolved and Moksha,Liberation, is attained.

10.I believe that there is no intrinsic evil.

11.I believe that the performance of Chariya (virtuous and moral living),Kriya (temple worship) and Yoga (internalized worship and union with Parasivam through Grace of the living Sat Guru) is absolutely necessaryto bring forth the state of Jnana.

12.I believe in the Panchakshara Mantram, the five sacred syllables"Na Ma Si Va Ya," as the foremost and essential mantram of Saivism.

We could compare the twelve beliefs of our Saivite Creed to the scientific laws governing the creation of molecules, upon which all life, all form, is constructed. Scientific laws express in a capsulated form the basic building blocks of the physical universe. Our twelve beliefs summarize metaphysical reality. Today, study beliefs one through six.

4.I believe that each individual soul is created (through emanation) by Lord Siva and (its uncreated essence: Pure Consciousness and Absolute Being) is identical to Him, and that this identity can be and will be fully realized by all souls when the triple bondage of anava, karma and maya is removed through His Grace.

5.I believe in three worlds of existence: the First World (Bhuloka or gross plane), where souls take on physical bodies; the Second World (Devaloka or subtle plane), where souls take on astral or mental bodies; and the Third World (Sivaloka or causal plane), where soul bodies, Mahadevas,exist in their own self-effulgent form.

6.I believe in the Mahadeva Lord Ganesha, Son of Siva/Sakti,to whom I must first supplicate before beginning any worship or task.

REVIEW

1. Scientific laws describe the building blocks of the physical universe.

Brahmachariya allows the individual to use his vital energies as an adolescent, or young adult, to prepare for a rewarding life, to develop his mind and talents for his chosen vocation. Brahmachariya is a traditional practice in Saivite Hinduism. The first of the four stages, or ashramas, of life is actually called the "brahmachariya ashrama."

Love (including sex) is one of the legitimate four goals of life according to our religion. Sex is not bad. Its place, however, is properly within the confines of a sanctified marriage. Nor are sex drives unnatural. The goal of the brahmachari and brahmacharini is not to become fearful of sex, but to understand sex and the sexual impulses in a balanced way. During the time of brahmachariya, the goal is to control the sex urges and transmute those vital energies into the brain to gain a great mental and spiritual strength. Yes, this vital life force must be focused on studies and spiritual pursuits. Brahmachariya maintained until marriage helps enable the devotee to merit a good wife or husband and a happy marriage. The Hindu Catechism explains,

When a young virgin man and woman marry and share physical intimacy with each other, their union is very strong and their marriage stable. This is due to the subtle, psychic forces of the human nerve system. Their psychic forces, or nadis, grow together and they form a one body and a one mind. This is the truest marriage and the strongest, seldom ending in separation or divorce. Conversely, if the man or woman have had intercourse before the marriage, the emotional/psychic closeness of the marriage will suffer, and this in proportion to the extent of promiscuity.

Most religions also provide a tradition of monastic life in which young men take lifetime vows of celibacy. The spiritual value of celibacy in the Hindu tradition has long been understood. Many of our greatest spiritual lights were celibate throughout their entire life, including Siva Yogaswami, Sankara and Swami Vivekananda. Others, such as Buddha, Gandhi and Aurobindo, became celibate after a period of marriage. For the individual preparing for monastic life, brahmachariya is essential in harnessing and transmuting the powerful sexual life energies into spiritual and religious concerns.

REVIEW

1. Sex is natural, not bad, but it is best confined to the sanctified marriage.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Hari Bolo Friends of the Vedas! Please accept my respects. All glory to the transcendental light of the Bhagavad-Gita as It Is! On Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 7:30pmCome join this wonderful evening that includes: Congregational Mantra MeditationA short study in SanskritA FREEVegetarian Feast andA Bona-fide Sat-sanga where we will discuss:"Who Do You Serve & Why"will be discussed at the American Vedic Association Bhagavad Gita As It Is Fellowship: Egocentricity is the norm but prosperity begins when we give up foolish behavior and selfish conclusions. Learn about the non-speculative Vedic Sciences from generations of world class erudite masters at the next AVA meeting! 7:30PM / 687 West Villanova Rd. - 640-0405 Always Free!

Current Events:Pre-Thanksgiving Alternative Vegetarian Celebration, Tuesday Evening 7:30 pm. November 17, 2009. Every year the American Vedic Association sponsors a pre Thanksgiving feast which is 100% completely Vegetarian. We offer this service to the community as a way to demonstrate that everyone can still have a wonderful traditional celebration with Cranberries, Pumpkin Pie, Baked Sweet Potatoes, and a tasty Tofu Turkey with its own flavorful stuffing and creamy gravy. The AVA congregation is never expected to bring food to AVA programs but this particular event does invoke the festive cooking nature in those who attend. If you would like to make a particular preparation you learned from your grandmother, or something that always showed up on your holiday table, then let us know about it so we can coordinate the menu with what everyone else is bringing. The important restrictions we request you to follow is that whatever you would like to make should NOT include any Meat, Fish or Eggs. Vaishnavas also discourage the use of Garlic, Onions, and Mushrooms. Call (805) 640-0405 for clarification if needed.

Living Space AvailableThere is currently a rental opportunity available for someone who has a steady income and is interested in living in Ojai. The space is appropriate for one person who is willing to respect the vegetarian diet and can meet the required financial responsibilities. Those who might be interested in this living situaiont are invited to contact mayesvara dasa directly for further information about the details of the spacet: (805) 640-0405.

Prelude to This Month's Feature Article

Who Do You Serve?One of the most effective ways to measure the spiritual maturity of someone is to look at how well they can control their senses. Those who are actually transcendental, have mastered how to (tran)verse the (sen)ses incen(dental)ly. This word refers to one who can go beyond the realm of the senses without effort. Such a person is referred to as a go-svami, or "master of their senses" in Sanskrit. One who is a servant to their senses is ignobly known as a "go-dasa." Understanding this one point would save a lot of well intended people from getting exploited by charlatan "Spiritualists" who are often charismatic speakers, but not at all qualified to give advice about how to traverse beyond this land of sense perception/gratification. They no doubt have many interesting things to say, but if their knowledge is not coming from a perfect divine source like the Vedas, their conclusions must be flawed because conditioned humans suffer from the four classic flaws. (Imperfect senses, Propensity to Cheat, Prone to Make mistakes, and Suffers from illusion.) It's really very simple. If someone is spiritually mature then they are focusing on pleasing the instructions of their spiritual master and restoring their lost relationship with the Supreme Lord. They have no interest in attempting to fulfill the endless material demands of their own sense gratification. This has always been the standard for the Gaudia Vaishnava devotee, and it shows up at least partially in other bona-fide paths as well. One of the main purposes of the traditional monastery is to provide a place where monks can live simply without having their senses assaulted everywhere they turn. The Hindu ashram, Buddhist lamasery, and the Jewish Kibbutz are all intended to serve the same purpose.

Mantra of IrresponsibilityUnfortunately as Kali Yuga progresses the concept of a holy person controlling his senses has eroded away, especially here in New-Age drenched Southern California. It has become very fashionable for ignorant spiritualists and fraudulent "teachers" to proclaim things like: "...give up fear, ...discover your own non-idenity, ...become free from entrapment, ...all beliefs are OK, ...no need to change anything, ...just come to our 'satsanga', ...we will confirm your divinity, ...everything is just fine, ...leave a love donation."Actually Bob Marly summed up the essence of the Indiscriminate New Age traditions quite nicely in his for word sutra: "Don't worry. Be Happy"Regardless of how popular Bob Marley's song may be, it has no philosophical foundation in anything except gross self-serving hedonism and is often twisted into a mantra for irresponsibility. The reason why it is so important for the leaders of society to have complete control over their senses is because if the have just this one quality, then they will not be attracted to bribery or coerced into making in-appropriate self serving decisions. The concept of: "What's In it for me?" evaporates when a person is truly self satisfied with internal spiritual communion with God in his own heart. That was the minimal standard for the Brahmin class which is expected to be the head of Vedic society.

Doing "Nothing" is Easier then "Surrendering"When the Vedas say a spiritually advanced person is not prone to serving his senses it does not mean that he will simply sit under a blanket somewhere in the Himalaya Mountains and do nothing. That concept is often implied by some New Age ministers, but it is not recommended by the Vedas for people born in the Kali Yuga. Running away from responsibilities is much easier then learning how to engage one's senses in the service of Lord Krishna. That is actually the proper way to bring them under control but people who are too proud to surrender prefer to come up with their own concocted ideas about what constitutes spiritual life. To engage ones senses in service to Krishna one must first surrender to Him and that is very rare.

manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhayeyatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." - Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 7"Knowledge of the Supreme", Text 3.The explosive growth of the New Age movement is a response to all the people who have drifted away from Christianity but have not fallen so far that they still experience the urging from Super-Soul for some type of spiritual community. There may be all sorts of unique characteristics that attract people to the various selection of New Age cults that have surfaced to meet that need, but the one thing they all have in common is that none of them even hint that one should control their senses or surrender to Krishna. The Gita however is not ambiguous and very clear:

Purging Bad HabitsWhen one understands this pivotal point and starts applying this principal in their life, then any residual attraction we may have to the inauspicious things which get us in trouble loose their attraction and eventually drop away. The alternative to learning how to do everything to please Krishna, is more of the same old entangling behavior that manifests as serving one's own selfish laziness, delusional desires, and conditioned false ego. durena hy avaram karma buddhi-yogad dhananjayabuddhau saranam anviccha krpanah phala-hetavah"O Dhananjaya, keep all abominable activities far distant by devotional service, and in that consciousness surrender unto the Lord. Those who want to enjoy the fruits of their work are misers." Bg 2.49 - Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 2 "Contents of the Gita Summarized", Text 49. This is particularly ironic because it is this rebellious attitude promoted and encouraged by New Age sophistry that lies at the root of everything we find unpleasant in the material world. That's because those who don't acknowledge their relationship with God become very materially attached and that's the origine of selfishness. The materialist is focused on getting what THEY want from any given situation and before too long that agenda leads to exploitation, manipulation, deceit, and in extreme cases, fully orchestrated fraud. The materialist tends to be greedy, angry, lusty insecure and therefore untrustworthy. The devotee however understands that his duty is to follow dharma faithfully and he is secure about offering everything he does as a service to the supreme. He is confident that Krishna is the ultimate controller and that he is pleased when we honor our word, temper our anger, and control our lust. This is indeed not only the path to person perfection, but the kindest thing one can do to improve the suffering of conditioned souls all over the world.

yo mam evam asammudho janati purusottamamsa sarva-vid bhajati mam sarva-bhavena bharataiti guhyatamam sastram idam uktam mayanaghaetad buddhva buddhiman syat krta-krtyas ca bharata"Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata. 19 This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection." - Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 15 "Yoga Of The Supreme Person", Text 20.

This Issue HOT LINK: Draupadi  Example of Surrender A very dramatic example of how to surrender to Lord Krishna is captured in one of the most memorial parts of the great Indian epic called the Mahabharata. The last thing the Pandavas lost in the corrupt game of dice they played against the cheating Shakuni is their shared wife, the beautiful Draupadi. After she was lost Dyroyadana ordered her to be disrobed in the presence of the entire assembly of kings, sages, princes, and assembled citizens. Back in those days people honored their word and kept their promises even when the integrity of their oath was tested under extremely dire situations such as this one. Consequently nobody in the court felt they could do anything to step in and interfere with Dyroyodana's horrible order for Draupadi to be disrobed. Initially Draupadi struggled under her own efforts, just like we tend to do in resolving our daily problems. However eventually she realized that her own efforts alone were inadequate to save her from the pending situation. That was when she thru up her hands and prayed for protection from Lord Krishna. The first hot link clip shows Dyroyadana ordering Dusshana to "Drag Draupadi by her hair" back to the kings assembly room. Draupadi makes all sorts of objections based on the etiquette of the day, but demons don't respect anyone else's rights and don't care about etiquette.

The second part of this hot link captures the tension that builds up as Dusasana violently attempts to pull Draupadi's sari off her body. IT is a little drawn out which is typical of Indian movies, but if you have the patience to let the entire clip finish you will get a first hand taste for the beautiful reciprocation Krishna offers to his surrendered devotee.

Main Article by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiServant of the SensesThe following conversation between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Dr. Chaturbhai P. Patel took place in Bombay on March 23, 1974.Dr. Patel: The other morning, when a young lady told you, "I am practicing medicine and serving people," you said, in effect, "You are a fool."HDG A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami: Yes. She is not serving. Of course, as they say, "Everyone is serving" -- serving money. Everyone is serving, but unless he gets paid, no service. That is not service. Everyone in the material world is serving somebody. Because by nature he is a servant. Dr. Patel: He's serving everyone. HDG A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami: No, no. As the English proverb says, "Everyone's servant is no one's servant." Anyway, service is required. You cannot live without serving. That is not possible. Every one of us is serving somebody. But the result of this material service is disagreeable. I have given before the example that Mahatma Gandhi gave so much service. But the result was he was killed. He was killed. That person who killed him did not think, "Oh, this old gentleman has given so much service to us. Even if I do not agree with him, how can I kill him?" But people are so very ungrateful -- you see? -- that whatever service you may render, they'll never be satisfied.Dr. Patel: Gandhi's service -- he was doing his prescribed duty.HDG A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami: No, actually. But first of all, let us define service. What is service? Service means there is a servant and a master. And service is the transaction between the servant and his master. But we have created so many unprescribed masters. The wife master, the family master, the country master, the legislative master, this master, that master -- you see? And we are giving service. "Oh, it is my duty. I am giving service." But ask any of these masters, "Are you satisfied?" He'll say, "What have you done?"Dr. Patel: The master won't be satisfied. HDG A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami: No. These self-created masters will never be satisfied. And really, by serving them we are trying to serve and satisfy our own senses. I am giving service to my wife because I think she will satisfy my senses. Therefore I'm not giving service to my wife -- I'm giving service to my senses. So ultimately, we are servants of our own senses. We are nobody's servants. This is our material position. Yes, ultimately, we are servants of our senses. Constitutionally, I am a servant, but at the present moment, being conditioned by the material nature, I am giving service to my senses. But my senses are not independent. They are totally dependent. For instance, I am now moving my hands, but if the true master of my hand, Krsna, paralyzes it -- no more moving. Nor can I revive the moving capacity of my hand. So although I am claiming I am master of my hand, master of my leg, and so on, actually I am not. The master is different.One of Krsna's other names is Hrsikesa, "the creator and master of all senses." Therefore we should transfer our service to Lord Krsna.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate"'Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one's senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.' ? - Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya Lila Chapter 19 "Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Instructs Srila Rupa Gosvami', Text170We have tried in so many ways to serve our senses, but when we engage our senses in serving the master of the senses, we get the spiritual satisfaction of bhakti, devotion. Devotional service to Krsna is also service, but it is not service to the inert senses -- it is service to the living master of the senses. This is real satisfaction. So constitutionally I am a servant. I cannot become the master. My position is that I have to serve. And if I don't serve the master of the senses, then I will have to serve the senses and go unsatisfied.Dr. Patel: Now, the fact remains that each man does have prescribed duties to wife, family, country, and government. HDG A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami: Yes.Dr. Patel: We have different kinds of bodies and senses, also, and that gives us different duties. One man has to act as a priest or teacher, another as an administrator or military man, another as a farmer or merchant, and still another as a laborer or craftsman. And when a man does his duty without expectation of any fruits, this is as good as devotion to the Lord.HDG A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami: No, no. Not expecting any fruits is not enough. You must do more than that. You must give the fruits unto Krsna. Give the result of your prescribed duties to Krsna. You can earn a million dollars, but don't simply take it all yourself or lavish it on your family. Give this fruit to Krsna. That is real service. Just like you are working as a medical practitioner. So give your earnings to Krsna. Then you become perfect. We simply have to see that by our work Krsna is satisfied. Krsna says;

"Never mind what you are doing." Tat kurusva mad-arpanam: "Give Me it." [Srila Prabhupada laughs.] And people say, "No, no, no, sir. I am serving You, but the money is in my pocket."Dr. Patel: Everything is Krsna's. How can you give anything? Even a leaf?HDG A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami: Oh, yes, yes. Just like these boys and girls are giving. They are giving their whole life. They do not ask me for money: "My dear sir, please give me some money; I will go to the cinema." They are serving, and they have given everything. This is service. They are not poor. They're earning, but everything for Krsna. If you divide your income partially -- "Some percentage for Krsna, some percentage for my sense gratification" -- then Krsna says;

If you have spent cent percent of your energy for Krsna, Krsna is cent percent for you. And if you have spent one percent for Krsna. He is one percent for you. Responsive cooperation. This movement has advanced so much all over the world because we have these boys and girls who have dedicated everything for Krsna. Therefore it has so quickly advanced. They do not think of anything personal. Only how to serve Krsna.

atah pumbhir dvija-sresthavarnasrama-vibhagasahsvanusthitasya dharmasyasamsiddhir hari-tosanam"O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead." - Ref. VedaBase => SB - Srimad Bhagavat Purana Canto 1, "Creation" Chapter 2, "Divinity and Divine Service," The highest perfection is to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead."Servant Of the Senses"(BTG #20-02/03 1985)

"Those who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that eternal kingdom." -Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter15 "Yoga Of The Supreme Person", Text 5.

This Issue Thoughtful Scholarly Quote(s)2."I am most impressed with A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's scholarly and authoritative edition of Bhagavad Gita. It is a most valuable work for the scholar as well as the layman and is of great utility as a reference book as well as a textbook. I promptly recommend this edition to my students. It is a beautifully done book." Dr. Samuel D. AtkinsProfessor of Sanskrit, Princeton University()

Friday, October 23, 2009

1. Visit a Ganesha temple or shrine and sit before the Deity for twenty minutes or more. Strive to tune into His comforting, motherly shakti. Open yourself to His love.

2. Write down your personal goals in life. Keep a copy for yourself, and send a copy to the devas through the homa at Kadavul Hindu Temple with a note asking them to help you fulfill these aspirations.

3. Lift your arm and feel energy, as explained in lesson 1. Then feel the same energy within your spine.

4. On two occasions consciously work to place yourself in an inner plane school by reading your lessons before sleep. In the morning, see if you can recall the results.

5. Visit your guru, or if you don't have a guru, visit any holy person. Before your visit, consciously empty your mind of preconceptions. Try to become an empty vessel, ready to receive the grace and blessings the soul has for you.

Without such goals, you would not be reading this lesson today. This course is meant to help you fulfill your goals and make the best choices as you exercise your power of decision from day to day. Therefore, don't neglect these daily lessons. And don't end your study of the course until you have fully understood and mentally digested all the subject matter within it.

Brahmachariya, or spotless chastity, is the best of all penances.Such a celibate is God indeed."

ADI SANKARACHARIYA

Brahmachariya is transmutation. The goal of brahmachariya is not to repress the sexual energy, but to transmute it.

A perfect brahmachari shines like a noonday sun inall spheres of life.

SWAMI NARAYANANDA

CELIBACY IN PERSPECTIVE

It may interest you to know that nearly all religions teach their young to follow the practice of remaining virgin until marriage. Only in the past 30 years have ideas about "free sex" or freedom without responsibility become so widespread.

Review

1. Try to cognize your goals for this incarnation.

2. Brahmachariya is transmutation, which gives power to the higher nature.

You have truly come to the Holy Feet of Lord Ganesha by seeking knowledge about brahmachariya. Did you know that the elephant is one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet? No wonder that the great Mahadeva Lord Ganesha works through the etheric form of the elephant--so wise, so charming, so humble, yet so grand and powerful. It is Lord Ganesha who is guardian on the path of dharma, who with His millions of helpers guides and protects those who worship Him and pray for clarity of mind and divine grace. During your time as a brahmachari you will come to know Him personally. This may sound beyond your ability, but it is not.

Oh Divine Beings of all three worlds, let us bring our minds to rest in the darshan of Him Who has one tusk. Let us meditate upon Him Who has the form of an elephant with a curved trunk. May He guide us always along the right path.

THE GANAPATI GAYATRI

COMMUNICATING THROUGH THE VEILS

Though you may not see Him, you will feel His mind guiding you, protecting you. You will feel His comforting spiritual vibration. He and His devas can see you and will respond quite readily to your prayerful thoughts. We can assure you of this. Faith is a necessary ingredient to beginning brahmachariya by taking the vrata--faith strong enough to waylay discouraging onslaughts of doubt and uncertainty. Perhaps you are not sure that you have the faith needed to penetrate the veils of ignorance and discover the Truth of life for yourself. But you do have enough faith in yourself to know that you can at least try to experience right thought, deed and action. Even if you fail to live up to your vrata to your highest ideals, you have the faith right now that you will have learned a good lesson from the failure and will begin again.

Open yourself to Lord Ganesha and let your loving thoughts blend with His. Let your problems dissolve in His Love. Mentally pour out your heart to Him. He will hear you. Think of Him as a friend, one of your closest friends. A more wise, magnanimous and kindly being you will never find.

I, (your name), seek the blessings of God, Gods and guru as I declare of my own volition my firm intention to live a pure and virtuous life and now take this brahmachariya vrata.

I vow to value and protect purity in thought, word and deed, and chastity in body, to sublimate and transmute the sexual energies and the instinctive impulses of anger, jealousy, greed, hatred and selfishness.

I promise to remain chaste and pure (state here the duration of your vow--for example, "until marriage") and wear this sacred brahmachariya cord around my waist to betoken this solemn oath. At such time that I marry, I promise to marry a Saivite Hindu virgin by arrangement of both families and with the blessings of my guru.

BENEFITS OF THE VRATA

Once a brahmachariya vrata has been taken, a new energy is released within the individual. Then the devotee finds the mind free to study, study, study--free from the temptations of the instinctive world. The vrata has the effect of actually cutting one off from the instinctive world of the lower nature.

If the sacred seed is retained, life does not ebb; great strength, energy, intelligence and alertness: all these are attained.

TIRUMANTIRAM: VERSE 1948

Once the vrata is taken, you will no longer be as inclined to become emotionally attached to those of the opposite sex. You will also avoid many unnecessary distracting karmic entanglements and much unhappiness and emotional duress. If you have already had a mental-emotional love affair, you know exactly the energy used, anxiety experienced and perhaps heartache finally felt. Once it was over you would have had to agree that it consumed a great deal of time and precious vital energy.

To best observe brahmachariya, a vrata (vow) must be taken. When you feel that you have understood brahmachariya and are ready, you may take your brahmachariya vrata. This can be done as a simple ceremony and vow-giving before parents, elders, or a temple priest. In your vow, specify its duration, whether you are taking it until marriage, for one year or for two, or for some other length of time. If your vrata expires, you may renew it again through another formal vow-giving.

The fact that you have taken a vrata and are now a brahmachari or brahmacharini should be made public knowledge and not kept a secret. Then everyone will understand and respect your intentions. You may indicate this in your name as well. Men append the title "Brahmachari," before their name, and ladies, "Brahmacharini." This is traditional in Hindu culture, but it is not mandatory.

Before you take your vrata and begin the practice of brahmachariya, you should understand the process, and that is the purpose of these lessons. The benefits of brahmachariya are many. Brahmachariya will help you to continually advance in life and improve yourself. It will awaken within you the ability to throw all of your energies into your work, studies and religious pursuits. The practice of brahmachariya will also deepen your religiousness. Saivism will take on greater and deeper meaning for you. This is because the vital energies, life forces, creative forces, of your physical and astral bodies are preserved and transmuted to a higher and deeper expression.

THE BRAHMACHARIYA CORD

A simple white cord which has been blessed in the temple is worn around the waist by the brahmachari and the brahmacharini as a constant reminder to keep the mind centered above the waist in thought, word and deed. When you feel you are ready to take your vrata, do so. You can obtain a brahmachariya cord from a Himalayan Academy temple or make one yourself and have it blessed in your local temple. After taking your sacred vrata tie the cord around your waist. When time comes to renew your vrata, obtain a new cord and repeat the process.

REVIEW

1. The vrata aids you in brahmachariya, which is the transmutation of your energies into positive endeavors.

2. The brahmachariya cord is a reminder to keep awareness centered in the chakras above the waist.

Before books were invented, the traditional way of conveying information was through the spoken word. This is called sampradaya. Sampradaya, verbal teaching, was the method that all Sat Gurus used. A Sat Guru can only give his sishiya as much as he can hold in his mind at any one time. If the sishiya comes with an empty cup, the cup is filled by the guru. But if the sishiya comes with a cup that is already full, nothing more can be added by the guru.

Many Sat Gurus work with their devotees in unseen ways. They have the ability to tune into the vibration of a devotee anywhere his physical body might be on the planet, feel how he is feeling and send blessings of protection and guidance. The guru-sishiya system of training is personal and direct. Much is unspoken between them, so close is the mental attunement. The traditional practice of brahmachariya helps to stabilize this relationship.

An advanced sishiya is one whose intuition is in absolute harmony with that of his Sat Guru. This harmony does not occur in the beginning stages, however, when the devotee is probing the subject matter of the guru's teachings for answers. Only after he has conquered the fluctuating patterns of the thinking mind does an inner flow of harmony begin to become apparent to both guru and sishiya.

The sishiya is expected to cultivate his inner life as well as his outer life. The more sincere and consistent he is with his inner work and his inner friends--God, Gods and guru--the more safe and secure and blessed he will be. Your relationship with your guru is growing stronger even now as you come to better know yourself and proceed in your study of these daily lessons.

Blessed are the worshipful devotees,for theirs are the refreshing Feet of the Lord.

We hope that you have been able to set aside a half-hour, or at least fifteen minutes a day, for your study of these lessons. If not, don't be discouraged. Keep trying. If nothing more, please try to read a little from your daily lesson each night before you go to sleep. These holy teachings will then draw you naturally into the more spiritual areas of the Devaloka when you are asleep. You are not alone in your study and desire for spiritual unfoldment. Many inner-plane people are there to help you as you sleep.

It is known by all mystically minded people that "As we think, so we become." Thinking of the great Mahadevas and Deities of high evolution stimulates our own evolution. Our spiritual unfoldment is hastened.

INNER-PLANE STUDY

Each night you are taught many wonderful things on the inner plane during sleep. You may not realize this or even remember what you have learned upon awakening. This is because the astral brain functions at a much higher rate of vibration than the physical brain. Most nights you probably spend several hours learning from gurus and guides in Saivite schools within the spiritual areas of the Devaloka, the astral world. Sometimes dozens, even hundreds, of devotees with similar interests gather together to learn. They are all in their astral bodies, on the astral plane, while their physical bodies are asleep. When one is firm in the practice of brahmachariya, it is possible to remain for long periods of time in inner plane schools and absorb much more of the teaching being given there. Those who are not strong in brahmachariya are often seen appearing and then disappearing from among the group as they are drawn back to their physical bodies by emotions and desires.

Remember, your own soul knows the reasons why you were born in this life. It knows what you need to accomplish in this birth. As a soul you know what obstacles and challenges you need to face and overcome to grow stronger and conquer past karmic patterns through fulfilling your chosen dharma. These and other matters are examined by you and your teachers in the Devaloka schools while your physical body sleeps. The more fully established you are in bramachariya, the more religious you become and the more able to face the world with a positive mental attitude.

He is Brhama, He is Vishnu,He is Shiva, He is Skanda,He is the progenitor of human race,He is the king of devas,He is Kubhera, the lord of all riches.He is Kala, the God of death,And He is the moon also He is Varuna

He is the manes, He is the Gods called Vasus,He is the gods called sadhya, He is the Aswini devathas, the doctors of Gods,He is the maruths who are responsible for breeze,He is the wind God, He is the fire God,He is the soul of all beings,He is the creator of seasons,And he is the giver of light.

He is the son of Adithi,He is the creator of the world,He makes us do things,He travels on the sky,He feeds the world by rain,He is the one with rays,He is the colour of Gold,He is always shining,He is responsible for creation,And he is the maker of the day.

He has green horses,He has thousands of rays,He rides on seven horses,He dispels darkness,He gives a pleasant life,He kills all life,He gives rebirth to those killed,He removes darkness,And he is resplendent in his glory.

He who keeps the golden source,He who cools down minds of devotees,He who bestows heat,He who is the source of light,He who is praised by every one,He who has fire within himself,He who is the son of adhithi,He who travels in the sky with pleasure,And he who melts cold.

He who is the lord of the sky,He who dispels darkness,He who is a master of Rig, Yajur and Sama veda,He who is the cause of heavy rains,He who is the friend of water,And he who travels over the Vindhyas swiftly.

He who gives heat,He who is of the global shape,He who is of the form of death,He who is of the colour of gold,He who heats everything,He who is in expert in knowledge,He who manages the universe,He who is of great brilliance,He who is dear to every one,And he who manages every event.

Salutations and salutations,To him who is fearful to the sinners,To him who is the hero,And to him who travels swiftly.Salutations to him who opens the lotus,And salutations and salutations,To him who makes men live.

Salutations to Him,Who is of the colour of molten gold,Who is of the form of fire,Who has created the world,Who destroys ignorance,Who is the subject of all that is loved,And to him who is the witness of the world.